Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni are seeking to arrange a meeting with Atlanta free agent Joe Johnson in Los Angeles Wednesday at midnight – or 9 p.m. California time – before flying to Ohio for the LeBron James’ pow-wow.
Even crazier, the Knicks are trying to fit in Amare’ Stoudemire that evening, too, in either LA or Phoenix. Johnson is said to be holding all his free-agent meetings in LA, home of his agent Arn Tellem.
“Nothing has been scheduled,” Tellem said.
If the Knicks strike out with James and Chris Bosh, D’Antoni is also excited about linking Johnson and Stoudemire with cap room to offer two maximum contracts. Both are former Suns who played under D’Antoni in Phoenix. But there’s also a scenario of seeing if Johnson can be wing man to King James in New York.
Johnson, who struggled during two rounds of the playoffs, has long been a D’Antoni favorite. If Johnson leaves Atlanta, it’s been speculated for months Johnson would want to reunite with D’Antoni as his preference. Factor in Tellem, who is close to Donnie Walsh and is the agent of Danilo Gallinari, it has always seemed a likelier pairing than either James or Chris Bosh. But they may need to work out sign-and-trades with Atlanta and Phoenix, respectively.
During February’s All-Star weekend in Dallas, Johnson told The Post, “(Mike and I) have got a great relationship. He gave me a chance to shine and become the player I am today. I love him, so I would visit.”
The status of Stoudemire is more perplexing. He played for D’Antoni but rumblings are he grumbled behind the coach’s back about their defensive shortcomings. Stoudemire spent part of his childhood growing up in upstate Newburgh and has a definite affection for New York, according to a source. However, a source said the extra year Phoenix can provide is huge in Stoudemire’s thinking.
Dwyane Wade, expected to stay in Miami, and Chris Bosh have reportedly agreed to recruiting visits to New York but that could be courtesies. In fact, Wade is trying to get Bosh to play with him in Miami, not New York. Wade and Bosh have the same agent.
`Miami is in top contention,” Bosh told the Miami Herald. “With the money they have, the cap space they have, the rights on Dwyane [Wade], him possibly staying. And just having a good organization; they are known as a first-class organization. Dwyane is going to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game when it’s said and done.”